Word Origin & History

breathless late 14c., "unable to breathe," from breath + -less. Meaning "out of breath, panting" is from mid-15c. Used from 1590s in the sense "dead." Meaning "forgetting to breathe due to excitement, awe, anticipation, etc." is recorded from 1802. Related: Breathlessly

Example Sentences for breathless

There was a breathless silence among the crowd as they eagerly pressed around the Doctor.

Pen paused, breathless, her cheeks scarlet, her eyes glowing.

As the minutes passed Christopher watched her in breathless but confident expectation.

It was a breathless three minutes till Mr Grey brought the news.

George came in after luncheon, put half a dozen breathless enquiries and returned hot-foot to his office.

But breathless as he might be, he always laughed his greeting.

The boy looked at him breathless with astonishment for a moment.

He arrived at the door, breathless, but sure that he was in good time.

When they reached the house, they were both white and breathless.

The people waited, tense and breathless, for the numbers to be called.